A recent study published in the journal Ergonomics stated that mental dissonance, or learning something that conflicts with how we feel or act, may increase the stress on the neck and low back when performing lifting and lowering actions. 

After initially being assured they were doing well in a lab experiment involving precision lowering, study participants motions were associated with elevated loads on their neck and low back vertebrae.

Using a study design that entailed having a fictitious fight with a graduate student in front of research participants, scientists have investigated the stresses of daily living and occupational activity on the spine for decades and discovered that psychological stress could affect spine biomechanics. To comprehend the mind-body relationship, the researchers opted to look at how people think and cognitive dissonance, which is when people are troubled by their thinking. Researchers also conducted a study to ascertain whether cognitive dissonance poses a danger for neck and low back discomfort. 

Following a brief practice run, researchers provided virtually entirely positive comments during the first of two 45-minute trial blocks. The feedback indicated that participants werent doing satisfactorily throughout the second trial block.

Peak spinal stresses in the neck and low back were identified using wearable sensors and motion-capture technologies. Peak spinal pressures on the cervical vertebrae in the neck during the negative-feedback trial block were 11.1% greater in compression, 9.4% higher in A/P shear, and 19.3% higher in lateral shear, according to statistical modeling. During the final trial block, the peak loading in the lumbar region of the low back rose by 1.7% in compression and 2.2% in shear. 

The results raise the possibility that cognitive dissonance is a previously unrecognized risk factor for neck and low back discomfort, which may have consequences for risk mitigation in the workplace.

(Source: https://www.hindustantimes.com/lifestyle/health/your-thoughts-can-cause-neck-and-back-strain-during-lifting-tasks-study-101685092399536.html)